Recent grads grab hiring attention of energy companies

By Rebecca Maitland, JOBS CORRESPONDENT |
May 2, 2013

Many companies offer learning programs that help develop their young talent.

The outlook for new graduates moving into the energy industry right out of college is excellent for many reasons.

"Oil and gas will continue to be society's most important energy sources for many years. At Statoil, we are focusing on innovation in exploration and production to recover valuable resources that were previously thought unreachable. This provides opportunities for graduates all the way to retirement age," said Tone Rognstad, vice president, human resources, Statoil.

Also, there continues to be a strong demand for engineers and other staff in Houston and around the globe within the energy industry.

In an effort to help ease shortages, companies have opened their doors, welcoming new graduates. However, companies also have developed many programs to help new graduates transition from academia into their career.

For example, new graduates coming on board with Fluor Corp. enter the Graduate Advancing Toward Professionalism program, which provides professional development and social needs, and serves to integrate recent college graduates into Fluor at all levels.

This group meets on a regular basis, and speakers are brought in to address topics to enhance the group's professionalism.

"After college, the employees continue their learning on the job. For example, new employees are assigned a mentor or buddy who has been with the company for a long time, which is very helpful," said Katherine Mack, director of human resources, Fluor Corp., Houston office.

One of Fluor's development programs is Fluor University, through which employees learn the specific systems used by the company worldwide.

"We also help our employees manage their careers, to reach their goals. Again, we are very people-oriented because it is our people who allow Fluor as a company to reach our goal," Mack said.

Statoil also has a number of programs, such as summer internships, written thesis and a graduate program for students or graduates.

"The purpose of our graduate program is to accelerate the development of our young talent and help ensure that we meet our long-term demand for professionals and leaders. This is achieved through on-the-job learning and job rotations," Rognstad said.

"In addition, there will be specific learning programs within the different professional areas such as finance and control, drilling and well, petroleum technology, supply chain management, exploration, legal, IT, human resources, etc. All graduates will be enrolled into a program," Rognstad said.

Statoil's internships, projects and written thesis is a good way to get to know about the industry, and it is also one of the most important recruitment channels for the company.

"Our ability to develop people who can deliver, learn and change is a crucial factor in ensuring we meet our ambitious business objectives. Hence, we provide opportunities for people to grow, whether you prefer to specialize further in your field or expertise or broaden your knowledge across functions and disciplines. Learning and development is delivered through formal learning programs but also on-the-job-training," Rognstad said.

There are also numerous others that are open to new graduates in the energy industry, such as marketing and supply, drilling and well, supply chain management, legal, IT, human resources, HSE, exploration, petroleum technology, facility management and communications.

There are also many benefits in working in the energy industry, outside of the competitive insurance benefits, and that is the opportunity to work on projects. Projects usually last one to five years, and each is unique and provides its own set of challenges.

"When the project is complete, staff moves to the next project with possibly a different group of people, on a different floor or in a different building. With each project, employees have the opportunity to meet new people and work on projects that are in different areas around the world," said Eric Krantz, media relations, Fluor Corp. Other benefits include working within a diverse work force, flex time and international opportunities.